2003

WASHINGTON-Nextel Communications Inc. and Sprint PCS are facing unprecedented billing litigation, a legal challenge Nextel brought to the attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission in a filing last month. Nextel is a defendant in seven class action billing lawsuits. …

WASHINGTON-A House panel could hold a hearing later this month on a $2.25 billion federal program that subsidizes wireline and wireless Internet connections to schools and libraries, continuing an ongoing congressional probe that some officials predict will unearth massive fraud …

WASHINGTON-The Communications Workers of America said it reached a tentative agreement on a new, five-year contract for Verizon Wireless technicians in the New York City area. CWA, which has been trading barbs in the press with the No. 1 mobile-phone …

A 10 percent increase in customer churn associated with the scheduled implementation of wireless local number portability could cost the wireless industry more than $20 billion over four years, according to a study by market strategy consultant iGillottResearch Inc. Iain …

BEDMINSTER, N.J.-Verizon Wireless signed a $1 billion multi-year agreement with Nortel Networks Ltd. to expand and upgrade the carrier’s nationwide CDMA network. The agreement calls for Nortel to provide expansion and upgraded CDMA2000 1x radio base stations, switching, Nortel’s Passport …

WASHINGTON-Other states and localities planning to implement a ban on the use of handheld mobile phones while driving may want to look at a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety about the impact of such a ban in …

SAN FRANCISCO-Myers Johnson Inc. and Centurion Wireless Technologies Inc. entered an alliance to help make cellular phones more accessible for the hearing impaired. As part of the agreement, Centurion will manufacture Myers Johnson’s Vortis antenna, which is an advanced array …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-In its continued defiance of its numerous skeptics, a Hutchison Whampoa subsidiary took on another European third-generation license. The Norwegian government awarded a third-generation license to Hi3G Access Norway AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison’s Swedish 3G subsidiary …

MOSCOW-Lucent Technologies Inc. said it has won a contract to supply Russian GSM 900/1800 MHz operator MegaFon with its multi-service packet network to enable the carrier to combine voice and data traffic. Under the agreement, Lucent will supply MegaFon with …

TOKYO-Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia, a mobile operator in Thailand, and Japan’s KDDI entered an agreement to construct a global positioning system service in Thailand based on the gpsOne system KDDI offers in Japan in cooperation with NEC Corp. The contract …

RA’ANANA, Israel-Emblaze Semiconductor said it has launched its latest multimedia system-on-a-chip product known as RE4525 for cell phones, personal digital assistants and other devices. “The ER4525’s enhanced multimedia capabilities include MPEG-4 video capture and playback at CIF resolution, JVT video …

Following its solid earnings and its retrieval of the No. 5 handset maker slot, Sony Ericsson released a range of new phones and devices, including a unique toy racecar that mobile-phone users can control through Bluetooth technology. Sony Ericsson’s range …

Southwest Airlines joined several other major air carriers in relaxing its mobile-phone usage rules. The carrier said customers with cell phones onboard may begin using them while taxiing to the airport gate, after the flight attendant gives permission to do …

DENVER-Qwest Communications International Inc., which recently announced plans to transition its nearly 1 million wireless customers to Sprint PCS’ network, reported a slight increase in wireless revenue from $151 million during the first quarter of this year to $154 million …

WASHINGTON-U.S. law enforcement officials want federal regulators to delay a decision on ICO Global Communications Ltd.’s application to acquire Globalstar Corp. mobile satellite service licenses until public-safety and national security issues are resolved. The proposed ICO-Globalstar deal has been pending …

Mobile-phone maker Siemens announced a unique new sliding phone it will sell through AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Cingular Wireless L.L.C. The company said it created the phone in conjunction with its longtime design partner Designafairs, a European creative firm. …

DUBLIN, Ireland-Telenor Mobile Interactive said it will use technology from Irish mobile applications company Xiam to offer wireless services that allow U.S. TV viewers to interact with broadcasters using their mobile phones. Telenor Mobile Interactive is the U.S. arm of …

TOKYO-NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it will begin rolling over customers’ unused monthly dialing and communications allowances for up to two months beginning in November. The Japanese telecommunications giant said the “two-month carryover” plan applies to all mova and FOMA subscribers …

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.-Two new phones from LG Electronics will feature multimedia messaging technology from Openwave Systems Inc., the companies announced. Further, Openwave said its Mobile Messaging Client software has already shipped on six devices with a total of 20 devices …

HONG KONG-Hong Kong’s telecom regulator the Office of the Telecommunications Authority said it would waive the submission of performance bonds due in October from the four third-generation services licensees. The bonds are in respect of the sixth and seventh license …

OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. filed a registration statement late last week with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the possible re-sale by certain shareholders of 686,201 Series F convertible preferred stock and nearly 44.2 million shares of Class A common …

WALTHAM, Mass.-In a move facilitating business on the slopes, British Columbia, Canada-based ski resort Whistler selected V-Link Solutions to provide Wi-Fi based wireless Internet services to more than 6,500 guest rooms, including hotels, condominiums, bed and breakfasts, lodges and private …

PARIS-In addition to its first-half operating results released Monday, France Telecom said it will buy the remaining 13.7-percent stake in mobile subsidiary Orange that it does not already own for $7.7 billion. The move will allow France Telecom to gain …

WASHINGTON-Bids for mobile-phone licenses to serve three regions of Iraq are currently being reviewed by a panel established by the Coalition Provisional Authority with a decision expected sometime this month and service to be turned on in November, said a …

WASHINGTON-WorldCom Inc., which is doing business under the name MCI, named five independent directors to its board late last month. Laurence Harris is a partner at the law firm of Patton Boggs L.L.C. Harris was an executive of Teligent Inc., …